A proposed design by HMC Architects for a new San Clemente Marine Safety Headquarters makes creative use of the seaside topography of the Pacific Coast. The design, which recently won an AIA San Diego 2022 Design Award, would place the structure within a bluff, cradled in the thermal mass of the earth. The subterranean space would enjoy plentiful natural light, passive ventilation, and extreme energy efficiency, with the building anticipated to use 87% less energy than average.
Removing the old building would give the beach back to the public, providing 20,000 sf of new public space along the shore. The new public safety facility, the administrative headquarters of the lifeguard corps, would be situated underneath a new public plaza. Many of the facility’s functions, such as loading, maintenance, and storage, are unsightly and occupy valuable public space.
The new design hides these functions below grade while still giving staff uninterrupted views of the beach. On the bluff, extending the terrace outward increases the plaza area 12-fold and the linear footage of seating 25-fold, while maintaining the same amount of planted area.
Built in 1968, the existing structure is a familiar landmark on the Southern California coast. It has fallen into disrepair, due to coastal erosion and harsh salt winds. Renovating the existing structure in its current location would be expensive and would not provide compliance with modern standards. Furthermore, rising sea levels and storm surges will increasingly threaten the property. To avoid this, the architects proposed using the equivalent renovation budget to create a modern facility while expanding space for public enjoyment.
“The transformation of an underutilized hillside into a strong, terraced public plaza, while creatively incorporating existing elements, is commendable,” according to a comment from the AIA San Diego Award Jury.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: City of San Clemente
Design architect: HMC Architects
MEP engineer: P2S
Structural engineer: KPFF
Related Stories
| Jan 31, 2012
28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Modern day reconstruction plays out
A savvy Building Team reconstructs a Boston landmark into a multiuse masterpiece for Suffolk University.
| Jan 17, 2012
SOM launches Los Angeles design studio
Expert team to join the firm's West Coast practice, focusing on innovative urban and environmentally sustainable design in Southern California
| Jan 16, 2012
Suffolk completes construction on progressive operating suite
5,700 square-foot operating suite to be test bed for next generation of imaged-guided operating techniques.
| Jan 3, 2012
Callison acquires Barteluce Architects & Associates
This acquisition will grow Callison’s New York team to over 75 architects.
| Jan 3, 2012
New Chicago hospital prepared for pandemic, CBR terror threat
At a cost of $654 million, the 14-story, 830,000-sf medical center, designed by a Perkins+Will team led by design principal Ralph Johnson, FAIA, LEED AP, is distinguished in its ability to handle disasters.
| Jan 3, 2012
The Value of Historic Paint Investigations
An expert conservator provides a three-step approach to determining a historic building’s “period of significance”—and how to restore its painted surfaces to the correct patterns and colors.
| Jan 3, 2012
Art Gensler: Still Making a Difference for Clients Every Day
After running what is today the largest architecture firm in the world for more than four decades, M. Arthur Gensler, Jr., FAIA, FIIDA, RIBA, is content to be just another employee at the firm that bears his name.
| Dec 27, 2011
Clayco awarded expansion of Washington University Data Center in St. Louis
Once completed, the new building addition will double the size of the data center which houses sophisticated computer networks that store massive amounts of genomic data used to identify the genetic origins of cancer and other diseases.
| Dec 21, 2011
DOE report details finance options for PV systems in schools
The report examines the two primary types of ownership models used to obtain PV installations for school administrators to use in selecting the best option for deploying solar technologies in their districts.
| Dec 16, 2011
Goody Clancy-designed Informatics Building dedicated at Northern Kentucky University
The sustainable building solution, built for approximately $255-sf, features innovative materials and intelligent building systems that align with the mission of integration and collaboration.
